Accessibility on the island and on board M/S Jenny

The departure harbour of M/S Jenny is located in Kokkola’s Meripuisto, approximately 2.5 km from the city centre. There are several parking areas in the vicinity, one of which is located at the departure harbour. Parking is free of charge. Toilet facilities are also available at the harbour, including one accessible toilet.

We recommend bringing your own assistant on board and to the island. An assistant or support person accompanying a holder of an EU Disability Card travels free of charge when the card includes an A marking. Please be prepared to present the card at the ticket office or when boarding the vessel.

Please note that in this case, the booking must be made through Visit Kokkola at tourism@visitkokkola.fi or +358 40 8065 075.

Boarding takes place via a gangway through the boarding gate. The gate has two doors, and when both are open, the width is 199 cm. Normally, only one door is open for the gangway. The metal gangway itself is 79 cm wide and 300 cm long. Elevation ramps can be installed at both ends if needed, for example for wheelchair access. The incline varies depending on sea level but is generally about 12 degrees. The gangway has railings on both sides for support and a non-slip surface to reduce the risk of slipping.

M/S Jenny has three deck levels: the main (boarding) deck, the restaurant deck below, and the sun deck at the top. Stairs lead down from the main deck to the restaurant deck. The staircase has 13 steps, is 100 cm wide, with a 50-degree incline and a step overhang of 14.5 cm. Before reaching the stairs, there is a 9.5 cm threshold from the main deck to the stairwell. The sliding doorway at this point is 100 cm wide.

Due to the steep stairs, movement with a wheelchair or larger mobility aid is challenging. We therefore recommend staying on the main deck. The stairs leading to the sun deck are also steep and narrow. For wheelchair users, the covered main deck is the most accessible area on board.

There are three toilets located on the main deck in the stairwell. Entering from the outer deck, the first is the Ladies’ toilet with a doorway width of 75 cm. Next is a unisex toilet with a doorway width of 65 cm. The third, closest to the bridge, is the Gentlemen’s toilet with a doorway width of 65 cm. Each toilet has a 13 cm threshold at the doorway.

The sun deck has seating for 34 passengers and is accessed from the main deck via steep (74 degrees) and narrow (56 cm) stairs, which can be difficult to navigate. There are a total of 11 steps. The staircase has railings on both sides and passes through a ceiling opening to the sun deck.

Our café-restaurant, with seating for 72 guests, is located on the restaurant deck. The space is furnished with 8 tables for six people and 6 tables for four people. A high chair is also available for the youngest members of the family.

The restaurant is situated right by the waterline, offering sea views through several windows. Tables and chairs are arranged along the sides of the room, leaving ample open space in the center for easy movement. This open area is also used for buffet service during group bookings; however, sufficient space for movement remains between the buffet table and the dining tables.

At the harbour of Tankar lighthouse island, there is a fixed gangway. It is 113 cm wide with an incline of 13 degrees. There is a landing platform immediately after stepping off the vessel. From this platform, a 7.5 m descent leads down to the pier. The gangway surface is made of steel grating and has railings on both sides. The pier itself does not have railings.

From the harbour, 102 cm wide boardwalks lead all the way to the terrace of Café Tankar. The wide boardwalks allow wheelchair users to move around the island to the vicinity of the café, the church entrance, museum sites, and even as far as the lighthouse, with the final section consisting of hardened ground.

Movement on the island is mainly along boardwalks. Their width varies, starting from 102 cm and wider. Around the café area, the boardwalks are at their widest.

Nature trails and distances:

• 45 m to the guesthouse via boardwalk
• 50 m from the harbour to Café Tankar via boardwalk
• 70 m to the Seal Hunting Museum via boardwalk
• 115 m to the church via boardwalk from the harbour
• 300 m from the vessel to Tankar Inn
• approx. 340 m from the vessel to the Lighthouse Master’s House
• 400 m from the vessel to the lighthouse
• 435 m from the vessel to the birdwatching tower
• approx. 800 m nature trail from the harbour via the bird tower to the church
• longest nature trail approx. 1.2 km (allow at least 35 minutes)

The island café serves as a popular hub for visitors. It operates in an old log building. The main entrance doorway is 99 cm wide with a 5 cm threshold. Inside, there is another 81 cm doorway before entering the café.

From the outdoor terrace, there is a second entrance with a width of 81 cm and a 12 cm threshold. A ramp (90 cm wide, 8-degree incline) leads to the main entrance.

Boardwalks 102 cm wide lead to the church, with approximately 3 cm protective edging along the sides. Entry to the church is via wooden steps: two steps with a height of 13 cm each. The doorway is 106 cm wide with a 20 cm threshold. Inside, there is a 110 cm wide central aisle with seating on both sides in traditional wooden pews. Accessing the pews requires stepping over a threshold of approximately 31 cm from the aisle side.

The church seats approximately 80 people:

• 15 rows of pews (approx. 4 persons per row)
• 3 side rows near the altar
• 2 rear rows (more compact seating)

Boardwalks 91 cm wide lead to the outdoor toilets in the harbour area. The toilets are located under a shelter, including 3 unisex units and 1 accessible toilet.

The accessible toilet has a doorway width of 84.5 cm and support rails. A 30 cm ramp with a 24-degree incline leads to it. A urinal is also available under the shelter.

A dedicated waste sorting shelter is located on the left side of the harbour when facing from the pier. The outdoor toilets are located next to it. Boardwalk access is 91 cm wide, and the open doorway is 115 cm wide.

Recyclable materials:

• metal
• plastic
• glass
• batteries
• bio waste
• energy waste

Another waste collection point is located approximately 50 m from the boathouse near the docks. The island’s defibrillator is also located here.

Recyclable materials:

• glass
• batteries
• bio waste
• energy waste

The main entrance is located in the center of the façade and requires an access code, as do the key lockers inside. Guests receive their room key from the lockers using a personal code.

A ramp leads to the entrance, and the doorway is 135 cm wide. The kitchen doorway is 90 cm wide. The kitchen has ample workspace with a counter height of 85 cm and seating for 20–25 people. Please follow instructions regarding water usage. Waste sorting bins are located in a recessed space (28 cm x 82.5 cm).

Rooms

Room keys are stored in lockers along the corridor leading to the kitchen. Each locker opens with a specific code. Doorway width is 80 cm with a 3 cm threshold. There is 85 cm of space between beds, allowing for an additional mattress if needed.

Toilets and sauna

Toilets and sauna are located along a long corridor. The toilet near the sauna has an 80 cm doorway and a 2 cm threshold. It includes a sink (74 cm height), one toilet with a 62 cm doorway, and additional toilet seats in an open space. The room can be locked and includes a potty.

Another toilet along the corridor has a doorway width of 70.5 cm and a 2 cm threshold. It includes a toilet and a shower area with a 70 cm opening, separated by a partial shower wall.

The sauna entrance is 80 cm wide with a 2 cm threshold. Inside is a changing room, followed by a 79 cm doorway to the washing area. The sauna door is 60 cm wide and accommodates 5–6 people at a time.

Tower Room

At the end of the corridor, a door leads to the Tower Room upstairs. Access is via a spiral concrete staircase with 48 steps and a width of 90 cm. Handrails are available along most of the staircase.

The stairs lead directly into the tower space (no separate door). The room includes a sofa bed (141 cm wide, 194 cm long, mattress thickness 7 cm). There is no toilet in the tower; facilities are located downstairs.

There are two entrances: one from the path leading to the lighthouse hill and another at the opposite end of the building. Both have concrete stairs with 7 steps. Room doorways are 86 cm wide with 6 cm thresholds. Recycling bins for metal and glass are available in the dining area.

Located at the rear of the island near rocky terrain, the bird tower is a small wooden structure for two people. It is accessed via 11 steps with a steep 64-degree incline. A handrail is available on the left side.

Access to the lighthouse is only available on designated lighthouse days. The entrance is reached via sturdy steps approximately 120 cm wide with 9 steps and handrails on both sides.

Inside, a spiral staircase with 100 steps leads upward, with a handrail along the outer edge. The staircase is not suitable for people with reduced mobility, and children must be supervised by parents.

The upper windows offer scenic views over the island and the sea. For safety reasons, access to the very top level (122 steps) is not permitted.